[Rosemary]

Central Scotland Smallholders' Association is running a Fleece Workshop on Saturday 11th June from 11am to 3pm with Gordon and Juliet Johnston, our very own Fleecewife! You can find out about their work on www.scothebs.co.uk

Places are limited and cost £5 for CSSA members and £10 for non-members. The venue is Deanhead Farm, Roscobie KY12 0SQ

The workshop will cover hand shearing demonstration, fleece assessment for quality, handling and storing fleeces and marketing fleece.

If you are interested, PM me.

[Rosemary]

Some places still available.

[Anke]

Unfortunately taking goats to a show down south, otherwise would be there...

[ellied]

I have a visitor this weekend and tho I asked her she isn't interested so I can't come

I just had my first taste of felting this morning so was really keen - please can you run it again another time? 

[nel]

Thanks to everyone involved in today's workshop, really informative and I thoroughly enjoyed the day. This morning I thought I might like to trying spinning, tonight I know I'm going to take up spinning.  I'm off to browse the Craft forum for any threads on spinning. 

[Hilarysmum]

Wish I could have been there

[egglady]

me too

[Dizzycow]

Me three. Hope you all didn't get too wet! 

[doganjo]

I think Carol and Graham were setting it up under cover, they have a barn and a leanto that are suitable.  Looking froward to hearing all about it.

[Sandy]

   Hope it went well...I am a prisoner""

[Pebbles]

Thanks to everyone involved in today's workshop, really informative and I thoroughly enjoyed the day. This morning I thought I might like to trying spinning, tonight I know I'm going to take up spinning.  I'm off to browse the Craft forum for any threads on spinning. 

We had a great time! We didn't realise how much was involved in selecting, preparing and using fleece. 'Fleecewife was fantastic (as was her hubby ) so enthusiastic! So glad we could make it! Thanks to all who organised and hosted it.

[Sandy]

I am so disapointed, feel likecinderella, missed it all, jad to clean  up and pick up steve, never mind, one day!! I am glad it went well!

[Rosemary]

Glad folk enjoyed it - I certainly did. Althought I'm now cr*pping myself about the Highland 

Thanks to Carol and Graham for hosting so well - and for making sure everything could go ahead even in the rain.

Juliet is passionate about fleece and that's what makes her such a good presenter. It's time we (society and producers) started valuing fleece as the worthwhile product that it is, being sustainable and useful for all sorts of products from fine garments to house insulation. Certainly, compared to synthetics derived from oil and cotton, which uses vast quantities of water and oil-derived feriliser, wool may well be the coming product because of its sustainability.

As producers, we need to care for the product and value it - if we don't, no-one else will.

[Hilarysmum]

As producers, we need to care for the product and value it - if we don't, no-one else will.

Well said something all we smallholders should take to heart, we so often dont realise our own value.

[Fleecewife]

Oh Sandy I'm so sorry you couldn't come.  We both had great fun and everyone seemed interested in what we had to show.  Carol had laid on THE most delicious homemade soup and rolls, scones, buns and as many cups of tea and coffee as we could want.   It poured with rain but we were under cover and it didn't seem to matter, although after lunch it was a bit hard to drag everyone back outside from the lovely wood-burning stove  
So many, many thanks to Carol and Graham for hosting the day, and to Rosemary for organising it - and to everyone who gave up time on their own holdings to come along - you were a great crowd        and I made off with a Suffolk fleece.........

Ah - I see you were listening yesterday then Rosemary    I do feel very strongly that wool is going to make a comeback and retake its place as THE sustainable fibre.